Think Win-Win

In my EDL 610 course, which is Visionary Leadership, we are spending time learning, teaching and demonstrating the Habits of Highly Effective Learners by Stephan Covey.  This week, the topic is on thinking win-win.

The lecture was interesting and spot on ... win-win is not compromising, rather, finding a better way.  In a compromise, neither party truly wins, rather, they lower expectations and 'win.'  But that is not a win-win solution.  In a win-win scenario, conversations occur to think of a creative way for all the non-negotiables to be realized.  A great analogy was shared ... "Its not you or me.  Its not a matter of who gets the bigger piece of pie.  There's more than enough for everyone."  What a great concept.

When it comes to making a commitment on this notion of thinking win-win, my commitment is to come to the table with ideas for a solution, and to be open to listening to the ideas that others also bring to the table.  I believe in sharing our solutions, and working together to meld the ideas into what may work best or shelving all the ideas altogether and coming up with something that does work.  The bottom line is to be open to feedback, to differing opinions, and talking through how the ideas can truly work to provide the most robust solution.  I will not negate or downplay the ideas of others, but appreciate they come to the table with well thought-out solutions of there own ... knowing that at the end of the day, we both want the same thing: a solution that works.